Machine for covering metallic boxes



Ai A. THOMAS.

MACHINE FOR COVERING METALLIC BOXES.

'APPLICATION man sEPLzG, 191s.l

'1,377,23L Patented May10,1921.

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MACHINE FOR COVERING METALLIC BOXES.

APPucATloMfILEUsanza, 191s.

1,377,231. Patented May 10,1921.

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MACHINE FOR COVERING METALLIC BOXES.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2e. 191s.

1,377,231 y Patented May 10,1921.

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A. A. THOMAS. MCHINE FOR QVERNG METALLIC BOXES.

` PPLICATlON FILED SEPT-26| 1918. 1,377,231. Patented I f .3 mw

NETE@ STTES PATENT FFME.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS,` OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CRESCO MANUFAC- TURING CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR COVERING METALLIC BOXES.

Application filed September 26, 1918.

TO'aZZw/Lom t may concern Be it known that I, ADELBERT A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cool; and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Covering Metallic Boxes,-of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to machines for covering metallic boxes.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved machine forcovering boxes whichis simple in construction and by which the coveringmay be lapped and held aroun the edge of the box. r

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for this purpose which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and m-ore particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection. F ig. 2u is a detailfsection showing the dies in the relative position assumed when the covering has been applied to the outside of the box. Fig. 2b is a detail view showing the upper die with the folders holding the covering lapped under the edges of the box. Fig. 2C is a detail section showing the dies in relative position assumed when the covering has been completely secured to the box. Fig. 3 is aplan and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the transversely movable lower dies. Fig. 5 is a plan,`parts being shown in section, of

'the upper die. Fig. 6 is a section taken on 'line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 1s a section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

- The invention is illustrated asapplied to a machine with a supporting frame 10 which is adapted lto be secured to work-table 11 in any suitable manner. This frame comprises a base 12 which is adapted tosupport a guide 13 in which the die-carrier 14 is transversely slidable to alternately bring the holding dies and the presser die for applying the covering tothe inner sides of the box into operative position, beneath the up- Vper die. The frame also comprises ya standardllhaving formed therein a guide-way 16 in which a stem` 17 for operating the upper Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10, 1921.

Serial No. 255,803.

die is vertically slidable. This stem is held 1n the guide-way 16 by a front plate 18.

A holder block 2O shaped to fit into` the box to be covered is xed to a post 19 which is fixed in the transversely reciprocable carrier 14. This block is removably secured to the post 19 by screws 20 to facilitate the change of forms for different boxes.

Block 2O conforms substantially to the shape of the inside of the box, so that the latterA can be placed over and will be held around the block. This block is provided with kerfs 23 to receive the usualA inwardly projecting hinge-lugs on the box. A cover holder member 24 surroundsthe block 20, is formed with an opening 25 which has -its 'sides properly spaced from the block so that the sides of the box can be dropped onto the block, and the top surface of this member is provided with a gage 24 to support a sheet 26 of Suitable covering material of the desired shape necessary to cover the box. A bottom plate 27 is secured to member 24. Posts 28 extend downwardly through and are vertically movable in openings 27 in the carrier 14. The plate 27 is extended to underlie the. block 2() to limit the upward movement ofthe holder member relatively to the block, sothat normally the upper surface of holder member 24 will be disposed substantially flush with the top of a box on blocl; 20. Springs 29 between plate 27 and carrier 14 press the cover-holder member 24 upward into' normal position shown in `Fig. 2, to permit the holder member to recede as the upper die forces the cover around the sides of the box on the block. n

Adjacent the other end of the carrier l14 is mounted a post 21 which carries a suitable presser block and box stripper. The carrier 14 is transversely reciprocable so that the blocks 20, 21 may be alternately brought into cooperative relation with the upper vertically reciprocating` die. Suitable stop pins 22 are secured on the guide plate 13 and a coacting stop 22 is secured to the top of the carrierr 14. The latter stop, when in engagement with one ofthe stops 22, will position the carrier beneath the upper member.

A presser ybloclz 71 of suitable form, to press the portions of the vcovery which have been lapped around the box-edges against 72 having an opening around said head'is provided with posts 73 which are vertically slidable in the carrier 14 and a bottom plate 7o. Said membei is held normally raised by springs 74C which are disposed between the bottom plate ot member 72 and the carrier 1st. Plate 75 is entended to underlie a portion ot the plunger 21 to limit the upward movement or' said member relatively to the plunger. ivlhen the upper die niember containing the box and infolded cove lowered, it will engage the stripper member 72 and torce it downwardly below the presser-block 71 and the latter will enter the box and force the cover so that its cemented face will adhere to the inner sides or' the box as shown in Fig. 2C. Vilhen the upper die meniber is raised, the stripper member 72 will engage the edge of the covered box and torce it oill the block 71 and cause it to remain in the upper die. n

A spring pressure device which is adapted to provide cumulative pressure or torce to the cover holder member 2d when the said holder is lowered and like pressure to stripper member 7 27 when the members are forced downwardly by the upper die7 comprises a rod 30, haviiie' its upper end lined in the guide-way 13, a spring 31 around said rod and engaging an adjustable nut 32 adj acent the lower end of said rod, a circular plate 33 engaged by the upper end oi the spring and vertically slidable on depending posts 3d, and having studs 85 projecting from the upper rpace thereof into openings 36 in the guide-way 13 so that when either the guide-posts 23 for the cover holder member 2d or the guide posts 73 iior the stripper member 72 are lowered, spring 31 will be conipressed t-o store su'ticient force to positively lift either ofsaid members and more particularly to provide sulicient force to strip the covered box from the presser-member 71.

The upper die comprises a plate 32, a body 33 and a bottom plate 34 all secured together, and to the lower end of stem 17. An opening 35 is formed in the plate 34: yand body 33`which is shaped to conform to the sides of the bex with the cover around it. A plunger 37 conforming to the shape or the top or the bei; is slidably mounted in the opening 35 so that the covered box in sai(L opening may be ejected trom the upper die thereby. The upper die is adapted7 when operated in conjunction with bloclr 20 and holder-member 241-y to told the cove: sheet into the shape shown in 2n. Dur-- ing this folding operation, plate 34- will engaoe the spring-pressed holder member 2d and force it downwardly against the force of springs 29 and spring 81 to permit the upper die to torce the cover around the box9 as shown in Fig. 2a.

A series of in-olders 33 are radially slidable in the body 33 and their inner ends conform normally to the Iform of the opening 35 and to the box. These are adapted to engage the cover to lap the marginal portions inwardly under the edge of the box as shown in 2b, and are conjointly operable by a ring 39 which is rotatably held in an annular groove 33 in body 33 and has pins 41 secured therein (Fig. 7) which engage camslots i0 in the Jrolders respectively. A handle l2 is secured to ring 39 to facilitate the manual operation of the ring and a spring 4:3 is applied to the handleto retract it and normally hold the folders 3S retracted oi' inoperative. A slidable latch 414i which is pressed inwardly by a spring 50, is adapted to enter a notch Z t5 in the ring 39 to normally lock the ring so that the irl-folders will retain the rover lapped around the edge or the box as shown in Fig. 2b, until the upper die member is again lowered to press the cover against the inside oit the boX. This latch will be automatically released while the upper die is being lowered by a trip-bar d6 which is fixed to the guide-plate 13 and has an inclined upper edge i7 adapted to engage the rear edge of a slot d3 in latch The bar 4:6 passes through a guide-lug 19 which is fixed to the body 33. As a result, it is not necessary for the operator to hold the iii-folders and they will remain operative and hold the cover until they are automatically released by the operation of the upper die.

The stern 17 may be operated by any suitable mechanism, as exemplified by a lever 51 which is pivoted to the standard 10, at 52 and has Aits front end extended in a kslot iii the stem.y link 53 and a treadle 54. An adjustable stop screw 55 at the upper end of the sterfl 17 is adapted to engage the standard 15 to lil if' the downward movement ot the upper die member.

A stem 56 is secured to the ejector member 37 and is slidably held in the stem 17. A spring 57 is applied to hold member 37 normally at the top of opening 35 in member 33. Stem 56 and member 37 are adapted to be operated relatively to the body 33 and stein 17 by a ,suitable lever which is pivotally supported at 59 on plate 13 and has its inner end formed so it may be swung inwardly te engage the upper end of stem 56 and operate plunger 37. By lifting the lever 58 which is normally outside of the stem, the member 37 may be operated to eject the covered-box from the opening 35., which occurs after theboi; has been completely covered as hereinafter set Jforth.

The under side oit the cover sheet 26 has a ysuitable cement applied thereto which be- 125 comes adhesive when it is heated and suitable electric heaters 7 0 .are disposed in the body 33 to heat the upper die member so that when the cover has been laid 'around the outside of the boX, it will adhere thereto. 130

n In operation, assuming the carrier 14 to` be in position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, a box will be placed on the block 20 and a covering sheet 26 will be laid on the 5 member 24 as shown'in Fig. 2. Next, the

treadle 54 will be operated to lower the upper die member which will cause the cover sheet to be laid around the outside of the box and forced into position shown'in Fig.

l 2a, the member 24 being forced downwardly away from the block 2O by the plate 34 of the upper die member. During the retraction of the upper die member, the operator will shift handle 42 to conjointly force the l folders 38 inwardly as shown in Fig. 2b.

During this retraction, the box and cover Twill remain in opening 35 of the upper die member. Next, the carrier 14 will beshifted to the left to bring the presser block 71 into operative position below the upper die member and the latter will then be lowered which will cause the presser block 71 to force the cover against the inside of the box, as

shown in Fig. 2. The operator can place another box on the block 20 while the upper die member is being operated in connection with the presser block 71. This cycle of operations may be continued indefinitely.

In operation, the carrier 14 will initially be placed in the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and a metallic box to be covered will be placed on the block 20. A.

covering sheet with cemented face downward will be placed on the holder member 24 and will be properly positioned thereon by the gage 24. The treadle 54 will then be operated to lower the upper die. Plate 34 will engage the cover sheet 26 on the holder 24 and stretch it around the box on the block 20 simultaneously forcing the holder 24 downwardly against the force of springs 29 and 81 until the cover is folded into the position shown in Fig. 2a. Next, the treadle.

box, as shown in said figure. Next, the operator will shift the carrier 14 transversely to the left to bring the presser block 71 and stripper 7 2 into operative position below the upper die member. The treadle 54 will be again operated to lower the upper die member. Before the presser block 71 passes into the box in the upper die member, trip 46 will release latch 44 so that the in-folders will be retracted to permit the presser block 71 to pass into the box. During this lower- 65 ing movement of the upper die, the plate 34 will engage the stripper member 72 and force it downwardly in advance of the upper die, while the presser block engages the inturned portion of the cover and forces it firmly into engagement with the inside of the box, so that the cover will adhere to the box as shown in Fig. 2c. When the treadle is released, the stripper member 7 2 acted on by spring 81 and spring 7 4 will engage the 75 edge of the box and strip it from the presser block 71, to cause the box to remain in the upper die. The lever 58 will then be operated to cause plunger 37 to eject the coveered box from the. upper die. During the pressing operation, the operator can place another box on the block 20. When the carrier 14 is shifted transversely to the right, the machine will be in readiness for a like cycle of operations.L Y, 85

The invention is not to be understood as restrictedV to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departingy from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of coperating diemembers for pressing a cover on a box, of transversely movable in-folders, means for conjointly operating said infolders, automatic means to lock the in-folders in operative position and means for releasing the locking means.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of coperating diemembers for pressing a cover on a box, of transverselyT movable in-folders, means for conjointly operating said in-folders, means for locking the iii-folders in operative position, and automatic means for releasing the locking means.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of coperating die members for pressing a cover on a box, of

ktransversely movable in-folders, a ring for conjointly operating said iii-folders, means for locking the ring, and means for automatically releasing the ring.

ADELBERT A. THOMAS. 

